Mounting frame for fertilizer spreaders and the like



Aug. 7, 1951 E. s. GANDRUD 2,563,165

MOUNTING FRAME FOR FERTILIZER SPREADER-S AND THE LIKE 3 SheeCs-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 28, 1949 zzmd 0mm E. S. GANDRUD Aug. 7, 1951 MOUNTING FRAME FOR FERTILIZER SPREADERS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 28, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mm PM A Q M. 1 Q Q. .kw mm m N 3 3 M h m h,

\ m5 Q M 'M, N mm w. HM w w ww/ Q a; r w J 1 mm. 1 MW q R R \w L w WW I aw I l \w H W MM h i Wk M N \M Aug. 7, 1951 E. s. GANDRUD MOUNTING FRAME FOR FERTILIZER SPREADERS AND THE LIKE Filed 001;. 28, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 83 4 P M Z 0 .w l 7 8 na/l MIHH I .4 v M x/ M) e a/ 8 ma? 7 4. Q Q? 7 H 7 M W I Patented Aug. 7, 1 951 MoiJN'rIN FRAME FOR FERTILIZER}? I' My invention relates generally to machines for spreading fertilizer; sowing seed and the like, and, more specifically, to T'mobile adjustable mounting means for machines of this type.

i Heretofore; it has been the practice in farming to prepare the soil for seeding by harrowing and the like; after whi ohfertilizer may be spread ov r the field, work edinto the soil, and; the field seeded, these separate'operations each requiring a different transversing of theiieldwith aresultant excessive consumption of time. Theprimary object of my invention, therefore, is the provision of a broadcast spreading device which maybe coupled to a tractor or other pulling device, and whichwill .cOoperate with soil-working equipment to .spread fertilizer sowseed while the soil is being ,worked hythe soilconditioning apparatus inflajs'ingle, passage over the'field.

I t Another. highly important object or my inven tion thevprovision of means adapted "to straddle soil-conditioning equipment, such as cultivators, harrows, soillpi lveriz ers, and the .like, ...and:in.- dependently support a broadcast spreader there-k over. for. movements simultaneous therewith but acting independently thereof.

I another object of myqinventionisth: provision ofva n ounting frame for .iertilizer spreaders and the like; which is quickly and easily adjuste able to supporta fertilizer spreader in overlying relationship to soil-conditioning equipment or inclosely spaced relationship to the ground for use withoutother equipment.

,Another object r, myinve-ntion is the pro vision .of a wheel-mountedy device abovedescribed having -a rotary agitator which may be driven-from the supportingwheels thereof in any desiredelevation of the machine.

A still further objecteof my invention is the provision .of a machine of the type abovedescribed having a rotary agitator which may be quicklyancl easily engaged or disengagedfrom' driving connection with: the supporting jwheels thereof for material spreading or fortransport, as desired? is Still another=object of my invention is the provision of a machine which is relatively inexpensive, efficient in "operation, rugged in construction, and durable inuse.

The above and still further important objects 4Claim's. (01. 2752) I of, Fig. 3;

of my-invention will become apparent from the gate 29.

v 2 i Fig. l is a view in perspective of afferitil'izer spreading and seeding devicemoun'ted'in accord? ance with my invention" astride a conventional soil-working device? Fig. 2- is an enlarged view in rear elevation at the structure (if-Fig.1; the soil-working device being removed and some parts being broken away; l-

' Fig. 3 is a rregrr er tary vie men -elevation on astillfurther enlarged sca e: 3 H

Fig. 4 is afdetail; partly in elevation'a'hd partly in section, taken sutstannany entire line 4 Fig. 15 is a fragmentary detail; partlyiriplaii and partly in horizontal section, taken on the 1ine'5 "5 ofFig. Y 1 f Fig. 6 isa view, fpart ly in' planfand partly horizontal section, taken line ii-'B ofiFigQB; l'

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentar detaiht substantially on th'elijne fl-1 of Fi ii; an

F 'ig. 8 is a view in 'perspeotive ofla drive chain utilized in my invention"; The structure shownin the drawings includes a pair of elongated dispensing or'spreading units I' and 2 mounted in side-loy side 'rela'tionshipin a generallyrectangularhopper] frame 3 The hopper frame 3 is vertically adjustably slidable ina pair ofwheel-imonnted supporting frames t. ".As shown, the ,y spreadingunits l and 2 are identical in construction except as to the capacity of the hoppers thereof, the hopper of theforrner beingof greater size than that of the latter;

The fertilizer spreading unit. lcomprisesanzelon t2, a concavevbottom f I Syand 'a rotary; agitator, [4.

The hopper. l l t has its top closed by a lids l5 hinged to the hopper: II. as indicated at l5 (see particularly 3)}- v V The agitators 8 and i l-have their opposite ends journalled in-bearings H rigidly secured to; the lower portions of opposite :end walls 6- and]; of the hoppers=5-and respectively. shown in Figad, the concave'hopper loottom t3 is-provided withlongitudinally-spaced apertures 18, at its bottom thatare adapted-to be ali nedwith similar apertures l9 in a longitudinally sliding. Although-mot shown, the hopper 5 is similarly provided-with apertures in its concave bottom 1 and an apertured-longitudinallyslidln t n ia a as gate. One end of each agitator 8 and I4 telescopes over the reduced end portion 2| of one of a pair of rotary shafts 22 journalled in the bearings IT. The agitators 8 and i4 have slot and.

pin connections 23 for locking said agitators 5 against rotation with respect to their respective shafts 22. The structure above-described is, in almost all'respects, identical to that-disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,350,107, issued May 30, 1

A drawbar 24 extends forwardly of the hop per 6 and is provided at its front end with a coir-i pling fork or the like 25. The rear end of .thej'; drawbar 24 is suitably secured to the hopper 5 and braced by angularly-dispo'sed horizontal tion of thedrawbar 24, through' a rigid link 3|, 2

a rock arm 32, a link 33,,and other suitable mechanism not shown. The above control sys. tern for'the valve acting.gates forms no part of the instant invention, and it is. thoughtthat deo bracemembers' 5a. Tightening, of the nuts .50.

tailed disclosure thereof, issunnecessaryn C .It will be seen, by reference to Figs. 4 and 5, that the bearings I! are provided with upstanding flanges that engage a portion of the outer surface of end walls 6 and I2. The shafts 22 each i p g afi disposed one eachat opposite ends of, the hopextend through a bearing IT andanother bearing lflfi,identicaleto its cooperating bearing [1 having .its upstanding flange .34 abutting the flange 34. A sprocket wheel 35.- is pinned-or brace bolt 49 is rigidly connected at one end to the central portion of the rear frame member 39 and at its other end to a rigid tongue 50 extending rearwardly from the seeding hopper ll, whereby to brace the intermediate portion of said seeding hopper.

The clamping head 42 comprises upper and lower clamping v plates 6 l', and 62 respectively andnut-equipped clamping bolts 53..'-'-By reference to Figs. 1 and '7, it will be seen that the 'r front ends of diagonal brace members 43 are clampedbetween the clamping plate 54 and the top'g-sin facq of"the drawbar 24. At their rear 'endsfthebrace members 43 are rigidly secured by nut-equipped bolts 54 to short angle brackets 65 welded tothe extreme upper ends of the front vertical frame members 40. Tie rods 44 extend through; apertures in the extreme lower end portions of opposite vertical frame members andare..providedat their rear ends with heads 56- which engage said members 40. The forward ends of the tie rods 44 extend through depending lugs 61 rigidly secured to.the clamping plate52. and. are threaded .to receive nuts or 5 the like 68-, As shown, thebrace members 43 otherwise rigidlysecured to eachof therotary fie shafts 1 22 axially outwardlyo'f .the aligned. bearings ifl and ,Il',; pThe hoppermounting frame 3 includes a pair oftransverse bars or plates 36 (one;.of which is shown) disposed longitudinally outwardlyof the opposite ends of the hoppers ,5 E

and ll' and .to which the hoppers are rigidly 45 secured by nut-equipped ,bolts 31. It will be seen, by reference toFigs. 4 and 5, that the bolts extend through the end walls of the hoppers land ll,,the flanges 34 and 34? of the abutting bearings f il andil'lj, and one of the bars 36, 0

whereby to rigidly secure the hopper. end walls, thebearings, and the adjacent bar 36, together. Thehopper-mountingframe 3 further includes longitudinally extending 'front, and rear frame .1.

members 38 and 39 respectively, apair orrr nt verticalufram'e' members 40, *a pair of rear vertical frame members 4i, a clamping head 42, diag onal brace members '43, tie rods VM, 'and clamping bar-s45. Each of the bars 36 is welded or other,wis'e" 'rigidlyfllsecured at, its front end to thetintermediate portion of the vrtical frame member w and at its rear end to the upper'nd portion of the vertical framem'ember II. The

front vertigal frame members" arebolted or otherwise fi 'i'gidly secured "to the front longitudinalfrarife' member 33 adjacent its opposite ends," as indicated at '46, and the lower end portions of the rear vertical frame members 4| are edit or otherwise 'rigidly's'ecu'red to the 'rear longitudinal frame member'39 "adjacent its opposite 'endsl' as indicated atf41. At its central pbi ftldnf-th e frame member is rigidly'connected' to"the" rear end portion ofthe drawbar eye fb race bolt 40, whereby to impart'stabilitytothe central p'ortio'n of the hopper 6, A 76 wheels 36 on the rotary shafts 22.

are made from angledron or thejlike, and the clampingflbolts 53' eigterid downwardly therethrough so thatitherecanbe. no relative movement betwehijhe'clamping. head 42' and the The wheel-mounting supporting frames 4 are pei' mountin'g name. 3, and: are oIYlJ -shape each comprisipg'a orizontal basejmember 53 and a pair] of M upright cross-sctionally. channelliepedfiegsto, The 'lower endsiofithe le s on are ,wjel'd id or jotlierwi'sefrigidly"secured'to the oppositeends ottheir respective base members 59 andeach leg 60 f is further braced by diagonal brace. bars 6 .I 'welded' thereto and to the intermediate portions'of their respective'base members 69. A Each IrameTFJis siippOrted bya tire- PP f'B. 'Q iseeifi l el f e tubular ihub '63 which is iournalled on a tubular trunnion 64. 1 The tubular trunnion 64 is provided with iintegrally-formed mounting 'fl'ange' '65' which 'has'abutting engagement with the flange 34" of a bearing l1". Bearing I1" is identical to bearings I 1 and ,ll fand, together with the flange-equipped trunnion 64, is rigidly secured to the intermediate portion of the base fnemb'er 59 by niited'liipped bolts and 61. It wnr be observed, by reference to Fig; 4, that the wheel hub 63 is'proi ided at itsinner end with acircum'ferential flange '68 abutting the outer surface of'the flange 66-of the trunnion 64. A pair of retaining plates 69 limit axial movements of the wheel' 62 with respect to the "trunnion'64. "It'-'will' be seemby reference to Figs. 3 and 4, that the bolts 61 extend through the retaining plates 69 as well as the flanges 63 and 34'. It is important to note' that the tubular trunnion Stand-the bearingil" of each supporting frame 4 are inaxial alignment.

J ournalled in each'bearing' I|"'-i's a drive shaft all) having a diametrically-reduced inner endportio'nl l and a pain of axially-spaced radial flanges .12 whichdefine annular Eshoul'ders 13. A driving sprocket 14 is rigidlysecured to the reduced portion.;1ll z'of therdriveishaft '10 by means of a pin orathe like 16 and? is in line-with the sprocket An endless nomes link chain 16, preferably of the type illustrated in Fig. 8, runs over'the sprockets l4 .and 35 (see particularly Figs. '3 and 4). The chain 16 is preferably'made up of links '11 that are quickly and easily detached, whereby the chain may be lengthened or shortened without the use of tools, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

The hubs 63, trunnions 64, and drive shaftsilfl are substantially of the same construction as that-disclosed in my copending application filed May 21, 1949, Serial No. 94,651, and entitled Axle Construction for Fertilizer Spreaders. Each driving shaft is provided with radially outwardly-opening recesses 18 disposed between the shoulders 13 and alignable with a locking pin 19. Looking pin 19 is mounted for axial movements radially of the shaft 10 through the hub 53 and a bearing plate 89 carried by a bracket -B'l integrally formed with theiwheel hub '63. A coil compression spring 82 has one end seated against the bearing plate 80 and its other end working against a washer-equipped pin 93 in the locking pin 19, whereby to bias the locking pin in a radia'llyinward direction. A three-position handleequipped cam 84 is pivotally secured to the upper end of locking pin i9 with its camming surfaces engaging the bearing plate 80' against bias of thespring 82. In one position of the cam 84, the locking .pin 19 is moved to its radially innermost position where it is .seated within one of the recessess 18. In this position, the drivershaftlll islocked to the hub 63 of .its cooperating drive wheel 62, whereby rotation of the wheel 62 'will cause rotation of the agitators 8 and Min the dispensing'unitsi and 2. Movement of the cam 84, to a'second position will move the inner end of the locking pin is out of engagement with the recess H3 but will maintain the same in a posi tion to be engaged by the annular shoulders 73 of" the flanges 72." In this position of the locking pin '19, the wheel ears rotatable independently of its cooperating drive shaft TB. It might here be stated that the above-mentioned first position of cam 84 is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, with'fa surface 95 of the cam engaging the bearing plate 80. ':'When the camis moved to the above-mentioned second position thereof, a surface 86 on the cam 84 engages the bearing plate 80; Cam 84 is also movable to a third position wherein a cam surface 8'! lies against the bearing plate 80-. In this position, the locking pin 19 is withdrawn radially outwardly-from between the annular shoulders 13 permittin axial withdrawal of the drive-shaft it from the bearings l1", provided, however, that the sprocket wheel" is removed from the shaft 29. Y

'yAs show'n', the bars :36 each engageoneside of the legs 65 of one of the supporting frames 4. Each of the clamping bars 45 has welded to the opposite end portions thereof clamping plates lid which engage the side of the legs 60 opposite the cooperating bar 36. A pair of clamping screws 89 connect the outer end of one'ofgthe clamping plates 88 to the vertical frame member All, and a similar pair of clamping screws 89 connect the outer end of the opposite clamping plate to the rear vertical frame member 4!. The screws 89 are provided at their inner ends with clamping nuts 98 which may be tightened to frictionally lock the legs 60 between one of the bars 36 and cooperating clamping plates 88. Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, it will be seen that the clamping bar 45, preferably made from angle iron or the like, engages adjacent edges of the channel shaped legs 69 andthat'theclampinggscrews 89 he closely adjacent opposite-faces ofthe legs bynut-e uipped clamping screws 92.

Axial movement of the rotary shafts 22 outw'ardly of their respective hoppers is limited by engagement of their outer ends with stop=plates 93. The outer ends of the shafts '22 areprovided with hearing bosses or-the like 94 that bear against the lower end portions of the plates 93 to minimize friction thereagainst. Each of the .plates 93 is pivotally secured adjacent its upper end to its cooperating clamping bar, by means of a bolt'95 equipped with a wing nut 96. A lug 91., Welded or otherwise-:rigidly :secured to :each of the plates 93, engages the lower surface-of the clamping. bar 45 to'izprevent lateral: swinging movements ofthe plate' 93fi.when the wing nut 964s tightened upon'the bolt 95.;yEaoh wing nut 951 may be loosened sufficiently, to permit its cooperating plate-'93 toz'bemoved axiallyoutwa'rdly to a point where itsf cooperating "lug; will be po; sitioned outwardly of'the clamping bar 45, The

plate 93 may then be swung upon'the axisiof the 1 bolt 95 in an arc of lsodegrees,whereby-to per v mit the lug 91 to rest upon the upper edge'of the clamping bar 45 uponaxial movement of the plate,93:.toward the bar 4.5: With. theplate93 in this upwardly-extended "position, the rotary I shaftZZ may be withdrawn from-the bearingsal i and H and-out of engagement with its cooperat ing rotary agitator S or 141:: The agitatorumay then be removed to permit cleaning or repairing.

the bottom of thahoppe'r. r v

Loosening the severaliclaniping plates. 88 and 9 I from clamping engagementwith the. legs 69 will permit raising and lowering of "the hopper mounting frame 3 and the hopperscar'ried thereby with respect to the ground. In the drawings;

the. hopper-mounting frame his shown as being located intermediate the high=and--low extreme positions. Obviously, raising or lowering of the hoppereframe '3 '-causes"= a variation. in the dis tance between the. sprocket whels -35' and the driving sprocket wheel 74'. 'For this'reason, Iuse a driving chainlfi having links that are readily removable and insertable. When it'is desired to utilize the machine for merely'spreadin'g fertilizer and/orsowing seed, the hopper mounting frame 3 .willpof course, lie-moved downwardly-to azpoint close. to the bottom'of th'e 'suppor't'i'fig frames 4. "However, wh en; it is desired to use the machine simultaneously with bther a gricultiir'al equipment, the hopper-mounting? frame '3" "is raised to a height suf icient-to permit position ing of said other'equip'ment beneath the "hop pers and between the supporting wheels 22. In other words, my device is made to straddle the cooperating agricultural equipment. Fig. 1 illustrates the ability of my novel device to straddle a conventional rotary tiller or soil pulverizer.

The rotary pulverizer comprises a generally rectangular frame 98 having journalled for rotation therein a double row of rotary tiller elements iii-discs '99. A drawbar llln'is' pivctallypsecured at its rearend to the'frame 98 and is reinforced by a pair of diagonal braces' I! rigidly secured at their front ends to the intermediate portion of the drawbar I00 and at their rear ends pivotally secured to opposite end portions of the frame 98. The drawbars 24 and 100 may be independently coupled to a tractor or the'like. However, I have'found it convenient to provide a vertically-disposed bracket I02 which terminates in a rearwardly-extending tongue I03 which may be connected in a conventional manner to the fork 25 of the drawbar 24, such as by'a coupling pin I04. One leg of the bracket I02 is connected at its lower end to one arm of a bifurcated coupling yoke I05 welded to the forward 'end of the drawbar I 00. a During a single passage of the combined equipinent above-described through afield, fertilizer may be dispensed or spread over the ground from the unit I in front of the forward row of discs or rollers 99, where it is worked into the ground by the front row of rollers 99. Seeds may be sown from the rear unit 2 between the rows of rollers 99 and covered by the action of the rear row of rollers. Thus, a number of operations are performed during a. single passage of the equipment across a field; and a considerable savings in time isachieved. It will be understood that other soil-working equipment maybe substituted for the pulverizer illustrated, such as disc harrows, toothed harrows, and cultivators and the like. Itwill also be appreciated that the machine will work just as effectively with a single hopper as with two hoppers by merely uncoupling the chain from one of the sprockets 35 and connecting'it between the desired sprocket 35 and the driving sprocket wheel 14. Obviously, when one hopper is used, the chain must be shortened to an efficient operating length. It will further be understood that, if the hoppers are divided into double chambers both having axially-aligned agitators as disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,350,107, one eachof the aligned agitators will be driven from one of the wheels 62, the other of each being driven from the other of said wheels62. However, in the event that a single agitator is used in each of the hoppers 5 and II, the agitators thereof will be driven from one driving wheel 62 only. -My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be adequate for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; and, while I have illustrated and described a commercial embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is: a 1. In a device of the class described, a hopper frame, a pair of elongated'hoppers rigidly secured to said frame in side-by-side relationship, a pair of horizontally-spaced vertically-extended supporting'frame members, means mounting said hopper frame between said supporting frame members for vertical sliding movements, rotary agitators within each of said hoppers, ground .wheels on the lower ends of said supporting frame members, and adjustable drive connections be tween said agitators and one of said ground wheels, said means for mounting said hopper frame to said supporting frame members including opposed clamping members carried by said hopper frame adapted to frictionally engage said supporting frame members whereby to maintain said hoppers in adjusted set positions.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said. supporting frame members include horizontally-disposed base members and opposed channel shaped laterally spaced legs, said mounting wheels being securedone each to one of said base members and said clamping members exerting clamping pressure upon opposite side portions of said legs.

3. In a device of the class described, a hopper frame, a pair of elongated hoppers rigidly secured to said frame in side-by-side relationship, a pair of horizontally-spaced vertically-extended supporting frame members, means mounting said hopper frame between said supporting frame members for vertical sliding movements toward and from the ground, rotary agitators within each of said hoppers, said agitators operatively terminating in rotary stub shafts which project outwardly from adjacent ends of said hoppers in spaced parallel relationship, drive wheelssecured to the lower endsof each of'said supporting frame members, and adjustable drive connections between said stub shafts and said drive wheels, said supporting frame members includinga pair of laterally-spaced. upstanding legs, said means for mounting said hopper frame to said supporting frame members including a horizontally-disposed hopper frame member spanning said legs at oneside thereof, a clamping bar spanning said legs at the opposite sides thereof, and clamping screw means connecting said clamping bar with said hopper frame member whereby to maintain saidhoppers in adjusted set positions, and stop means on said clamping bar preventing axial movements of said stub shafts in one direction. -41-The structure defined in claim 3 in which said step means comprises a pair 'of stop plates removably securedto'said clamping bar and p0 sitioned thereon to engage the outer ends of said stub shafts, removal of said stop plates permitting axially outward movement of said stub shafts irrespective of the position of the hopper frame with respect to the supporting frame members. I

' EBENHARD S. GANDRUD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

STATES PATENTS 

